Mar 072013
I received the following message from a close personal friend and Townsperson who just joined a Dead cover band. He asked me to pass along his note in hopes of getting advice from the Hall on how to best handle this new challenge
I just joined a Dead cover band to help out a friend from our synagogue They do Dead, Stones, The Band, “Into the Mystic,” “Breathe” by Floyd, and some other classic rock. What was I thinking? Now what do I do? Can any drummers in the Hall give advice on how to play Dead-style drums? I’ve been listening to the band’s set recordings and it’s all bad habits and bad fills.
I’m not a drummer but maybe he should listen to some stuff from the years where there was one drummer (the first album and Skull and Roses, for instance). At least that would strip out some of the clutter.
Two words: Not Fade Away.
Get high, don’t bathe.
Stay awake for three days before every show, then take a ten minute nap right before you start. And maybe find a vintage quaalude or two.
Name the band “Bad Habits and Bad Fills” – everyone will know they are a dead cover band
and just what is a “vintage” quaalude?